From Compliance to Commitment: Implementing a District-wide Portfolio Initiative

Astrid Fossum, Mathematics Teaching Specialist, fossumag@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

Mary Mooney, Mathematics Teaching Specialist, mooneyme@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

Beth Schefelker, Mathematics Teaching Specialist, schefeba@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

www.mmp.uwm.edu

In this session participants will:

Develop an understanding of a process used for implementing a portfolio assessment system.

Engage in discussion regarding benefits and challenges of establishing a portfolio system.

Examine portfolio samples to define purpose of collection.

Examine samples of portfolios used in an urban K-12 system.

Other Key Teachers

Math Teache

r Leader

Literacy

Coach

Principal204 MTLs

60 Gr 8-9

DistrictMathematic

s Leadership (MCS, MTS)

IHE Faculty Mathematic

s & Math Education

MMP School Learning Team Leadership Structure

MMP Learning Team ContinuumStage 1

Learning TargetsStage 2

Alignment of State Framework & Math Program

Stage 3Common Classroom

Assessments

Stage 4Student Work

on CABS

Stage 5Descriptive Feedbackon CABS

Understand importance of identifying and articulating big ideas in mathematics to bring consistency to a school’s math program.

Develop meaning for the math embedded in the targets and alignment to state standards and descriptors and to the school’s math program.

Provide a measure of consistency of student learning based on standards/descriptors and targets.

Examine student work to monitor achievement and progress toward the targets and descriptors.

Use student work to inform instructional decisions, and to provide students with appropriate descriptive feedback.

Tools• Grade level lists of 9-11 big ideas per grade (the targets)• Horizontal list of targets by content across grades

Tools• Target-descriptor alignment worksheets• WKCE Depths of Knowledge Framework• Curriculum Guides

Tools• Curriculum Guides • District Model CABS• Depths of Knowledge worksheet• CABS Assessment Overview worksheet• WKCE and Benchmarks student data

Tools• MMP Protocol for Analysis of Student Work• DVD of MMP Protocol• CABS Class Summary Report form• School Educational Plan

Tools• Types of Feedback sheet • Descriptive feedback worksheets• CABS Class Feedback Summary worksheet

The “Big 5” Strategies A Framework for the MMP District Mathematics Initiative

Teachers will: Administer frequent and “smaller” assessment

items. Provide a balance of constructed and selected

response assessment items. Develop effective and descriptive feedback for

their students. Design student work folders (portfolios). Be involved in regular professional development

in mathematics.

Current Monitoring Practices P5 programming at

limited school sites. Individual folder system

used to record summative data.

Student interaction with contents is often limited.

Impact on instruction is unclear, though often passed on year to year.

K-12 mathematics needs consistency.

Collection Tools

K-5 6-8 9-12

P5 Portfolio

X

WritingPortfolio

X X X

ReadingRecord

X

MathAssessment Folder

X

Our journey begins with many questions… How do we begin to change pedagogical beliefs

on the uses of a portfolio system?

How do we demonstrate the portfolio as a tool to reflect work already being done?

How do we move teacher practice from “looking” to “utilizing” student work as a lens for understanding student thinking, as well as a basis for making instructional decisions?

Phases of Portfolio DevelopmentPhase 1: The fast and the furious

K-8 Schools: Schools given autonomy to develop a system

that fit their individual school initiative. Created something quickly with little input from full

staff. Added mathematics to current P5 system. Developed folders that held similar characteristics to

current system (summative). Viewed by teachers as an “add on” to their work.

Phase 2: Wait and See“The District Will Tell Us What To Do”

What are “the district” expectations for the folders?

How much work do we collect? What work do we collect?

Who uses the folder?

When will “the district” make the folder we are to use?

Phase 3: Our Learning ProcessMonthly MTL meetings Focus on Stiggins’ Formative

Assessment Principles.

Monthly MTL meetings

School site meetings

Focus on Descriptive Feedback and Analyzing Student Work.

Networking conversations Focus on current work of the MTL & classroom practices to be captured in portfolios.

Resource Material Provided An Introduction to Using Portfolios In the Classroom, Danielson, C. & Abrutyn, L.

Transition to College Math Committee

Phase 1: What do all these tests mean? Committee designed the High School Mathematics

Assessment Folder Currently, schools are participating on a voluntary basis

Wanted a tool to guide conversations with students about their mathematics learning

Use the work samples as a counseling tool and evidence for high school math sequence.

How summative data is used to make decisions about students learning progression and potential for success.

Viewed by teachers as an “add on” to their work.

Phase 2: Who collects the assessment folders? Will they really know if we

are doing this? Who keeps them? What about our mobility

rate? Will the guidance

counselors use them? How do we find the time

to talk with students?

Phase 3: Our Learning ProcessMonthly 8/9 meetings Focus on Stiggins’ Nine Formative

Assessment Principles.

Monthly 8/9 meetings

School site meetings

Focus on Descriptive Feedback and Analyzing Student Work.

Cohort meetings and HS Department Chair meetings

Focus on current progress of the folder & implementation of the assessment folders.

Resource Material Provided High Schools receive assessment folders for student population.

Auer Avenue School (K-8)

Process developed from a need to collect data documenting mathematics instruction practices.

Portfolios include student work samples and CABS for each math content strand taught.

Portfolios are used to focus discussions regarding instructional practices and progress toward educational plan goals.

Engaging Students in the Assessment Process

Each student (K-8) was provided an assessment binder.

Students are provided feedback of their progress.

Students are learning to self-assess, reflect and monitor their learning.

Results of Auer Avenues School-wide Assessment Initiative

Staff: Instruction is focused on student needs; frequent

interventions are planned and carried out. Collaboration has increased between teachers in

and across grade levels. Students: Students are aware of their strengths and

weaknesses in mathematics; understand their role in the learning process.

Overall outcome: State assessment results report an increase in

achievement in all grade levels 3 - 8!

Milwaukee High School of the Arts Teachers have determined that too much

work turns their portfolio into product, not process.

Working toward use by teachers, parents, counselors, administrators.

Portfolios are sent home after graduation and students are encouraged to share them with their post-secondary advisors.

MHSA Results…3 years of using the assessment folder… Students

looking back at their work and reflecting on progress

can articulate what their misconceptions werewritten reflection, as a self assessment tool,

on work samplesenjoy opportunities to talk with teachers about

their learning in mathematics increased ownership

Current Status Portfolio Implementation

All phases of implementation. MTLs, Learning Teams, Math Departments,

School Staffs are: Building a system to fit their needs. Working out the kinks by “starting small”. Understanding the importance of involving students in

the process. Exploring ways to incorporate student reflection and

involvement.

Conversations are shifting from developing a folder “of” learning… to a system “for” learning.

Resources

Danielson, C., & Abrutyn, L. (1997). An Introduction to Using Portfolios In the Classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Stiggins, R.J., Arter, J., Chappuis, J., & Chappuis, S. (2006). Classroom Assessment for Student Learning; Doing It Right- Using It Well. Portland, OR: Assessment Training Institute.

The Milwaukee Mathematics Partnership (MMP), an initiative of the Milwaukee Partnership Academy (MPA), is supported with funding from the National Science Foundation under Grant No. EHR-0314898